GUEST ARTICLE: Comcast and T-rump conspire to violate our Civil Rights - We must stop them now!

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

This was posted by COLOR OF CHANGE

NEED TO READ AND TAKE ACTION FAMILY

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Protect the Civil Rights Act of 1866.

Protect the Civil Rights Act of 1866. Stop Comcast from setting an oppressive precedent that would make proving racial discrimination practically impossible. Take Action

Comcast and the Trump administration are working to strike down key provisions of one of the oldest and most important civil rights laws in the country: the Civil Rights Act of 1866.

For more than 150 years, this law has been a bedrock protection from racial discrimination in employment, housing, banking, and consumer and business transactions. Now, Comcast is petitioning the Supreme Court to allow racial discrimination in business transactions as long as racism is not the only reason for denying someone a service.^1,2 If the Supreme Court sides with Comcast and the Trump administration, it will strike down one of the most important tools we have for protecting our communities from discrimination. Such a decision has the potential to fundamentally change how racial discrimination claims are decided for decades to come.

We cannot allow Comcast’s board and executive leadership to quietly dismantle civil rights laws so that it can pad its bottom line by discriminating against Black people. We still have time to force Comcast to withdraw its petition from the Supreme Court. But we need to act fast to turn up the pressure on its board of directors before it’s too late! 

Demand Comcast withdraw its Supreme Court petition challenging the Civil Rights Act of 1866, our oldest civil rights statute. 

Color Of Change has reached out to Comcast executives and board members directly to request its Supreme Court petition to be dropped. However, Comcast and its executives refuse to accept its legal defense will roll back civil rights protections. For a company that prides itself on being dedicated to diversity and inclusion in all facets of its business, it is clear these efforts may be contradicted at any time to protect the Comcast’s bottom-line. 

Black people already face extensive barriers in accessing justice and economic equality in this country, and this petition would serve only to allow corporations off the hook for their discriminatory practices.

For Tatiana Denson, a 40-year-old Black woman who had the police called on her for trying to open a business checking account at a PNC Bank, or Judi Brown, a Black transgender woman who was subjected to transphobic and racist slurs and harassment by her manager and coworkers at a Circle K, this law is their only pathway to justice.^3,4 Comcast’s petition would make it so that Black people like Tatiana and Judi would have to prove that racism was the only driver of a decision or denial. Instead of affirming that racism has no place in the negotiation of a commercial contract, Comcast is partnering with a Department of Justice that is openly hostile to the civil rights of Black people. Together, they condone the inclusion of racism as a legitimate basis for refusing to enter into a contract with Black people — as long as racism is not the "only reason."⁵

We must ensure there are proper protections for our people now and for years to come. Demand Comcast drop its Supreme Court petition for a Civil Rights Act of 1866 hearing. 

Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 places Black people on equal footing with white Americans by outlawing conduct that would prevent our communities from developing the means to work, build wealth, or have access to the justice system to vindicate our rights. Comcast is using an important piece of legislation to win a legal battle in an effort to disregard the large-scale effects of an adverse Supreme Court decision.⁶ What is at stake is more important than television programming.

Comcast's persistent pursuit of a ruling undermining civil rights laws, despite our efforts to engage the corporation directly, places it at the forefront of coordinated efforts by this administration to strike down centuries of civil rights progress. Comcast must be held accountable for attempting to reverse legislation enacted to ensure the economic and civil protections of Black People. Demand Comcast drop its Civil Rights Act of 1866 Supreme Court petition. 

By leveraging a relationship with an administration that pursues white nationalist ideals to block Black economic and media power, Comcast is standing on the wrong side of history, and this cannot go without consequence. It is critical that Comcast reconsider its petition to the Supreme Court, given the extensive harms that a ruling in its favor could extend to Black people, Black businesses, and Black economic equality.   

Stop Comcast from setting an oppressive precedent that would make proving racial discrimination practically impossible.

Until justice is real,

--Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Evan, Johnny, Future, Eesha, Samantha, Marcus, FolaSade and the rest of the Color Of Change team

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References:

1. “The Civil Rights Act of 1866: History and Impact,” Thought Co., February 3, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/195186?t=10&akid=36831%2E352824%2E2f4EJG
2. “Civil Rights Act of 1866,” African American Civil Rights Movement, 2017, http://act.colorofchange.org/go/195187?t=12&akid=36831%2E352824%2E2f4EJG
3. “Black Woman Uses 153-Year-Old Civil Rights Law to Sue PNC Bank for Racial Profiling,” The Grio, September 9, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/195188?t=14&akid=36831%2E352824%2E2f4EJG
4. “Transgender Woman Sues Circle K, Citing Slurs, Harassment, Firing After Pride Parade: ‘I Was in Absolute Shock,” Chicago Sun Times, August 21, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/195189?t=16&akid=36831%2E352824%2E2f4EJG
5. “Exclusive: Comcast & Trump Dismantling Civil Rights Over $20 Billion Entertainment Studios Lawsuit,” Forbes, August 23, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/195190?t=18&akid=36831%2E352824%2E2f4EJG
6. “Comcast Defends Civil Rights Record as Discrimination Lawsuit Heads to Supreme Court,” Fierce Video, August 23, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/195191?t=20&akid=36831%2E352824%2E2f4EJG

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Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.

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ECLECTICALLY BLACK NEWS GUEST POST: The right to vote in America has been fractured BY JESSE JACKSON

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

I don't think I need to tell you how disgusted, disappointed and downright disgruntled I am about the recent debacle that passes for what was our presidential election.   

I am actually saving my energy at this time - but that does not mean that I don't have plenty to say - because I do.  I just think at this point it is better to allow cooler, wiser heads to speak.  So I am posting Rev. Jesse Jackson's recent commentary in the Chicago Times instead.  The only thing I would differ with the Rev. on is this - the Right To Vote In American has not just been fractured, it has been trashed.  

I, along with Color of  Change, circulated a petition to the Electoral College in reference to this recent election - a disgrace to America  - in reference to a final decision that they must make on December 19.  I am providing a link to it below - please circulate and sign - that is unless you are one of the ones who think this outcome was a "good" thing, in which case you probably shouldn't even be reading my ECLECTICALLY BLACK NEWS Blog in the first place.  

SIGN THE PETITION TO HAVE THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTE FOR HILLARY AS PRESIDENT ON DECEMBER 19, AND SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, RELATIVES, ASSOCIATES, ETC. IT'S OUR LAST CHANCE TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY: HERES THE LINK; https://www.change.org/p/electoral-college-electors-electoral-college-make-hillary-clinton-president-on-december-19 Stay Blessed - Gloria

The right to vote in America has been fractured

BY JESSE JACKSON

November 15, 2016

America’s election system is a disgrace, as the 2016 presidential election once more demonstrates. This isn’t sour grapes. I’m disappointed that my candidate lost but the election is over, the results are in. What every American ought to be outraged at, however, is that the United States is still not a democracy of one person, one vote. Our electoral system is suppressing the right to vote for millions.

Start with the obvious. Hillary Clinton won the election, by a margin that may amount to 2 million votes. No need for a recount; she won big. But Donald Trump will be inaugurated president largely because he won three states — Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan — by a total margin of , at last count, 112,000 votes. 

The U.S. doesn’t count presidential elections by one person, one vote. Instead the system counts electoral votes with the winner taking all in every state except Maine and Nebraska. This not only gives greater weight to small, rural states over large populous ones like California; it also makes for perverse campaigning in a few, closely divided “swing states,” with much of the country essentially ignored. The president of the United States governs all Americans, not just Americans grouped by state. This is the second election in 16 yearsin which the winner of the popular vote lost the election. This dangerously saps the legitimacy of the presidency. The Electoral College system survives only because most Americans know little about it.

America makes it hard to vote. Registration is not automatic on turning 18, allowing states to erect different hurdles for registering. Voting is usually on a workday that is not a national holiday. States set the laws allowing for infinite schemes designed to make it harder for some to vote. Voting is the most fundamental right in a democracy — and the U.S. perversely empowers petty, partisan officials in various states to whittle away at it.
2016 was the first presidential election in 50 years without the full protection of the Voting Rights Act, gutted by the right-wing gang of five on the Supreme Court in Shelby County v. Holder. With Republicans shocked at Obama’s majority margins in 2008, Republican governors and legislatures pushed various schemes to make voting harder for the young, for people of color, and for working and poor people. Despite fierce legal battles, 14 states had various forms of voter suppression schemes in effect in 2016. 

Various tricks and traps were put into effect. Early voting days were reduced. Sundayvoting — a favorite for African-American churches that organized to take our souls to the polls — was outlawed. Polling places were reduced in numbers, particularly in poor or African-American districts. Hours were restricted. New forms of voter ID was required, usually to disadvantage students or minorities disproportionately. Electronic machines with no paper record are widely used, virtually inviting vote manipulation. Voter rolls were purged — allegedly to address fraud — but with lists that always target African-American and Latino voters disproportionately. 

In many states, former felons who had paid their debt to society are permanently deprived the right to vote. Six million citizens have been stripped of the right to vote, disproportionately people of color. In four states — including Florida and Virginia — more than one in five African-Americans has been disenfranchised. 

In Wisconsin, the Republican governor and legislature pushed through new voter ID requirements. Three hundred thousand voters lacked the required ID; voter turnout was the lowest in two decades. In Milwaukee, where 70 percent of the state’s African-Americans live, turnout was down 13 percent. The suppressed votes were likely far more than the margin of victory.

In North Carolina, the governor and legislature openly cheered the success of their efforts to curb early voting among African-Americans that resulted from slashing 158 polling places in the 40 counties with large numbers of African-American voters. On average, black voters stand in lines two times as long as white voters, in a conscious and systematic effort to make voting harder, particularly for those working jobs without flexible hours.

This list can go on, and it is an indefensible disgrace. This isn’t complicated. The American people should demand passage of a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to vote and empowering the Congress to pass rules to protect that right. The candidate that wins the most votes should win presidential elections. Nothing radical, just common sense. National rules should make registration automatic and voting easy, not hard. The Voting Rights Act should be revived and strengthened. The Justice Department right now should be prosecuting states that violated basic voting rights. 

When America was founded, only white, male property owners had the right to vote. Americans demonstrated and died, and fought a Civil War to end slavery, expand citizenship to all and expand the right to vote. Now partisan officials are trifling with the very foundation of our democracy. No republic can survive long without legitimacy. Donald Trump rightly called the Electoral College a disgrace, before he won office on the basis of it. If he cares about this country, he will lead the effort to reform our election laws, rather than accepting a system that perverts the will of the people.

 SIGN THE PETITION TO HAVE THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTE FOR HILLARY AS PRESIDENT ON DECEMBER 19, AND SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, RELATIVES, ASSOCIATES, ETC. IT'S OUR LAST CHANCE TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY: HERES THE LINK; https://www.change.org/p/electoral-college-electors-electoral-college-make-hillary-clinton-president-on-december-19 Stay Blessed - Gloria

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Join COLOR OF CHANGE in demanding footage of Minneapolis police brutal shooting of Jamar Clark

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:


By now you are all well aware of the gangland style murder of Jamar Clark, a 24 year old African American man, at the hands of the Minneapolis police department, along with the routine slap on the wrist and paid vacation given the  perpetrators/officers.

Needless to say the phrase "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it any more!!!" is an understatement - The brutality of victims at the hands of feckless policemen, walking around with a license to kill.  Additionally they have blatently refused to hand over the tapes which prove the death if Jamar Clark was unwarranted.

I have already signed the petition and am forwarding Color of Change's solicitation to you so that you may do so as well.  I expect you to follow suit and then forward the petition to your friends, relatives, associates, neighbor, friends.

I think, however, this should go a step further and request investigation into these matters from Attorney General Lynch's office.  These and other brutalities that have been on the rise need to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.  There is such a thing as abuse of power; and it appears that there are municipalities whose law enforcement arm believe they can continue with impunity.  

Additionally, it should be mandatory to turn over all cameras, equipment and recordings immediately to the federal government's judicial system, for immediate review BEFORE local law enforcement have an opportunity to doctor it up or erase it; and if there is any evidence of tampering of any kind, not only will the administrator and perpetrator lose their jobs, they will be incarcerated and fined for tampering with evidence in a suspected homocide.  

The penchant for shooting first and asking questions later; the blue wall of silence, and the profiling of Black men (and women) appears to be a reverse back to days of lawlessness, where the law was more dangerous and insidious than the criminals they purport to be apprehending.  

It's time this was stopped - immediately, if not sooner. Within the signature, let's add a message to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, put a stop to the violence that is being perpetrated against Black people.  Demand that Minneapolis police turn over the videos of the murder, and move forward in dealing with the perpetrators - the Minneapolis Police Department. 

STAY BLESSED &

ECLECTICALLY BLACK

GLORIA 

On Thu, Nov 19, 2015 at 7:35 PM, Scott Roberts, ColorOfChange.org <info@colorofchange.org> wrote:

Dear Gloria,
Yesterday, Minnesota officials released the names of the police who fatally shot Jamar Clark in the head: Officer Mark Ringgenberg and Officer Dustin Schwarze. Both officers have been sued in the past for violence, false arrests and threats.¹
Local officials are refusing to release various videos they have of the killing, choosing instead to ramp up militarized police violence against growing peaceful protests. Right now, activists are camped out at the 4th precinct facing pepper spray, arrest and rubber bullets, while Ringgenberg and Schwarze are on paid leave. ² We will need a groundswell of voices to get to the bottom of what happened to Jamar and secure the justice his family deserves.
Will you join more than 50,000 ColorOfChange members in demanding police release all videos relating to the police killing of Jamar Clark?
The reality is, Jamar’s killing hit a nerve for thousands of Black youth in Minneapolis, a city like so many others in America where systemic anti-Black police violence is rampant. Minneapolis police are nearly 6 times more likely to stop and arrest Black teens than white teens for low level issues, such as “curfew violations.”³ From 2006 to 2012, Minneapolis paid out $14 million for police misconduct, but leadership almost never disciplined officers. In 2014, there was an average of 1.2 complaints against each Minneapolis police officer.⁴ And now, law enforcement are denying the eye-witness testimony of dozens of children, teens and adults who witnessed the shooting and say police shot Jamar "execution style." In order to help this suffering community heal, local officials need to release these videos, expose the truth, and begin the hard work of moving forward.
Instead of arresting courageous youth organizers, Mayor Hodges and Chief Harteau should be doing everything in their power to end the culture of secrecy and impunity that drives anti-Black policing, starting with the release of these videos.
Thank you
Scott
References

1. "Protesters, police have tense night outside 4th Precinct HQ," Star Tribune 11-19-2015 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5534?t=4&akid=5066.1818854.MShHcg

2. See reference 1.

3. "Patterns of Racial Bias and Overcriminalization Show Urgent Need for Reform: Blacks and Native Americans Disproportionately Affected," ACLU 05-28-2015 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5535?t=6&akid=5066.1818854.MShHcg

4. "How Did Jamar Clark Die?" The Atlantic 11-18-2015 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5536?t=8&akid=5066.1818854.MShHcg

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Eye-witnesses say Minneapolis Police fatally shot 24-year-old Jamar Clark "execution style." Join local activists in demanding police release all video of the shooting: TAKE ACTION

Dear Gloria,
This weekend, Minneapolis Police fatally shot unarmed 24-year-old Jamar Clark.
In a scene all too similar to the police shooting of 18-year-old Mike Brown, dozens of people saw the shooting unfold. Eye-witnesses say Jamar was handcuffed with his hands behind his back when police shot him in the head "execution style." ²
The entire event was likely caught on video by a nearby camera, but local officials are refusing to release the footage. Last night, police unjustly arrested more than 51 Black Lives Matter activists for demanding release of the video and justice for Jamar.³ Now, it's time for us to help turn up the pressure to get Jamar's family the answers they deserve.
Click here to demand police release all video footage of the shooting. If enough of us speak out, it will shine a spotlight on local officials and increase the pressure for them to release whatever information they have.
All eye-witness accounts of what happened to Jamar point to murder. According to the latest news reports, police were called to the area for domestic assault. While it's unclear exactly what happened before the paramedics arrived, Jamar allegedly tried to speak to his girlfriend before she was put in an ambulance but police threw him to the ground and arrested him. Moments later, law enforcement shot him in the head. Tate Wilson, a local business owner who saw the shooting happen, said, "the young man was just laying there. He was not resisting arrest."⁴ According to the local NAACP, every eye-witness they've spoken to said Jamar "was handcuffed. Every witness account. [They say police] put a knee on him and shot in the head."⁵
We need the video footage of the shooting in order to hold law enforcement accountable for this brutal violence. Time and time again, we've seen what happens when local officials are able to keep this type of key information from family members and the public.⁶ The longer videos are kept secret the easier it is for police to doctor the footage or alter their stories to fit what's caught on camera instead of what actually happened.⁷ We need full transparency and public accountability or else we will never be able to end the racist culture of corruption and violence that leads to these tragedies. Local officials have asked the Department of Justice to investigate the case, but the investigation will likely take months to complete.⁸ We need answers now.
When NAACP activists Jason Sole heard about the tragic police shooting of Jamar he said, "Minneapolis is one bullet away from Ferguson...that bullet was fired last night."⁹ The reality is, police violence targeting Black people is rampant in cities across America. In fact, Jamar is at least the 251st Black person killed by police in 2015 alone.¹⁰ Due to discriminatory racial stereotypes, police are 21 times more likely to shoot Black teens than white teens.¹¹ And Minneapolis Black youth have had enough. As protesters put their lives on the line to stand with Jamar's family in demanding justice, we must raise our voices to hold local officials accountable.
Enough is enough. Tell Minneapolis law enforcement to release all key evidence pertaining to the police shooting of Jamar Clark.

Thank you,

— Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Lyla and the rest of the ColorOfChange team.

In addition to the foregoing message, ColorOfChange also provided the following links to articles dealing with police brutality:

November 17th, 2015

References:

1. "Black Lives Matter Protesting Police Shooting of a Reportedly Unarmed Man in Minneapolis," Gawker 11-15-2015 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5522?t=14&akid=5066.1818854.MShHcg

2. See reference 1.

3. "51 arrested in protests after black man shot by Minneapolis police," USA Today 11-17-2015 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5530?t=16&akid=5066.1818854.MShHcg

4. "Protesters demand video, police accountability in Minneapolis shooting," Reuters 11-16-2015 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5524?t=18&akid=5066.1818854.MShHcg

5. "Jamar Clark: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know," Heavy.com 11-15-2015 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5525?t=20&akid=5066.1818854.MShHcg

6. "Police Still Refuse to Release Evidence in Demouria Hogg Shooting Death OPD," Post News Group 07-17-2015 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5526?t=22&akid=5066.1818854.MShHcg

7. "CONFIRMED: Dashcam Video of Sandra Bland’s Violent Arrest was Indeed Edited," Mint Press News 07-17-2015 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5529?t=24&akid=5066.1818854.MShHcg

8. "Besty Hodges: Jamar Clark Shooting Should Be Investigated by Department of Justice," City Pages 11-16-2015 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5527?t=26&akid=5066.1818854.MShHcg

8. See reference 5.

9. "The Counted: People killed by police in the US," The Guardian http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5011?t=28&akid=5066.1818854.MShHcg

10. "Deadly Force, in Black and White," ProPublica 10-10-2014 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5528?t=30&akid=5066.1818854.MShHcg

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ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.

NOW THAT YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

STAY BLESSED

GDW

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Stand Up for the Student in the South Carolina School Assault

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

We've all been horrified and traumatized by the vision of a burly white racist cop dragging a young Black teen aged girl out of her classroom by force, knocking her over, knocking over furniture, handcuffing her because she didn't participate in a classroom activity.

We have all been partially gratified by the fact that the officer was fired.  But that does not go far enough.  We should demand the immediate dismissal of all the administrators and educators who had a hand in this horrific debacle.  

Don't just write letters of disgust! They have to go!!!  And the parents of the young girl who was assaulted has to sue each and every one of the administrators, the officer, the board of education and anyone and everyone involved in this horrible event.  

No student - no human being - no young lady should have ever been treated that way.  It was not enough that her classmate, who stood up for her, and who took the video was arrested; it was the fact that the feckless teacher in the classroom did not stand as a voice of reason - it was clear that the officer's behavior was not only excessive, but maniacal. It was as though he brought a fair amount of built up hate into the room with him in the actions he took against that young child.

If he has that amount of animosity - and it might well be reflective of that South Carolina police force - how can one be sure that he or other officers assigned to those schools might not resort to guns the next time???   They all need to be screened for psychotic tendencies and eliminated if there is the slightest bit of indication of animosity towards Black people.

By the way, there was a video of two negroes (they weren't Black) - one a police officer from Milwaukee and the other a field reporter from NYC, who  were commenting on the protest march that took place in Manhattan against that and other acts of brutality and outright murder of Black youth at the hands of the racist police throughout the US.

I can see that the brainwashing runs deep - and there are still some inbred Uncle Toms who are now being given the spotlight - please make sure that you counter their statements so that your children and neighbors are not persuaded that the are correct,when they are patently paid by the white substructure and are nothing more than melanites and mouthpieces - tools for the whites who want to cover up their crap by making it appear that there are legitimate reasons for their evil.  

The bottom line in the case of that school administration and those so called educators is this :  TIME TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH!

This is the article from COLORofCHANGE.org

STAY BLESSED

On Wed, Oct 28, 2015 at 8:27 PM, Arisha Michelle Hatch, ColorOfChange.org <info@colorofchange.org> wrote:

BREAKING: Officer Fields was fired, but the school officials and policies that supported him remain. Click here to demand an investigation of Spring Valley High officials and new policies to limit the role of police in Richland schools.

Dear Gloria, 

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott has fired Officer Ben Fields.¹ In the past 24 hours, nearly 90,000 ColorOfChange members took action demanding local officials hold Officer Fields fully accountable, and today your powerful voices were heard — in part.
While Fields' firing was absolutely necessary, he is not alone in shouldering the blame for this incident. From start to finish, there was a total breakdown in common sense and compassion for the student who he brutalized. Even Sheriff Lott has questioned whether the officer should have ever been called into the classroom.² The educators who involved a police officer in this minor disciplinary issue and the policy makers who have failed to limit the role of police in schools must also be held accountable.
Join us in urging Richland School District 2 authorities to investigate the school officials who called Officer Fields and to strictly limit the role of police in their schools.
During today's press conference, it was revealed that school officials issued statements in support of Officer Fields after videos of his violent attack went viral.³ It's shameful. Any school official who found Officer Fields' behavior acceptable shouldn't be educating our children. This type of discriminatory police violence has no place in Richland County schools and local leadership must do everything in their power to stop it. As long as policies allow educators to bring in police for any minor school issue we can expect to see more and more tragic cases like this one. Richland School District 2 Superintendent Debbie Ham has said she will work to strengthen police "training efforts in the school," but we need more than that.⁴
ColorOfChange members know all too well that the police violence caught on camera at Spring Valley High is part of a much larger crisis of criminalization targeting Black students. In the past few years, the number of police in schools has skyrocketed and the result has been devastating. Known as the "school to prison pipeline," kids are now much more likely to be suspended, expelled and arrested for the type of issues that years ago would have landed a student in the principal's office.⁵ Black girls — who face dehumanizing racial and gender stereotypes — are 6 times more likely than white girls to be suspended, most commonly for subjective issues such as "having a bad attitude."⁶ Police should play no role in the everyday education and disciplining of students.
Click here to demand systemic reforms to the role of police in Richland County School District 2, such as prohibiting police from responding to anything but the most serious school safety concerns.
Thank you,
— Arisha, Rashad, Scott, Lyla and the rest of the ColorOfChange team.
References:

1. "South Carolina Officer Fired for Throwing High School Student, Sheriff Says," Slate 10-28-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5453?t=6&akid=4951.1818854.tnqsr3

2. "S.C. sheriff fires officer who threw student across a classroom," Washington Post 10-28-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5456?t=8&akid=4951.1818854.tnqsr3

3. See reference 2.

4. "South Carolina Deputy Ben Fields Fired After Desk-Flipping Incident: Sheriff," NBC 10-28-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5458?t=10&akid=4951.1818854.tnqsr3

5. "Spring Valley Officer Assault Is Just The Tip Of The Iceberg," ThinkProgress 10-27-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5457?t=12&akid=4951.1818854.tnqsr3

6. "Study: Black girls are suspended 6 times more often than white girls,'" USA Today 02-11-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5451?t=14&akid=4951.1818854.tnqsr3

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ColorOfChange is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
If you're absolutely sure you don't want to hear from ColorOfChange again, click here to unsubscribe.

Now that you know, what are you going to do about it?

Stay Blessed & 
ECLECTICALLY BLACK

Gloria 

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO GET OUT AND VOTE - TELL A FRIEND/TAKE A FRIEND/TAKE YOUR KIDS WITH YOU - SET THE EXAMPLE

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

Okay, here we are - ground zero - the day of days - only a strange creature from another planet, or someone in a permanent coma does not know what day this is:  TODAY IS NOVEMBER 4, 2014, THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS ARE UPON US - People in New York started voting at 6:00AM, people in Philadelphia started voting at 7:00AM - GET UP, GET OUT AND VOTE - BEFORE WORK, AT LUNCH, AFTER WORK, ON YOUR BREAK - no matter what the time there is ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE - VOTE LIKE YOUR VERY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT, BECAUSE IT ABSOLUTELY DOES.

Now that I've gotten your attention, here are some updates you need to be aware of :  BLACK WOMEN FOR POSITIVE CHANGE  (BW4PC) just sent me an email voicing their selections for Maryland and DC - so those of you who are in that area might want to check in on this release:

Please remember the extreme importance of  voting  today.  Our ancestors gave their lives so that  we could have this remarkable opportunity after  being denied the right.

Lets do them PROUD!

Follow  Your Bliss,

Karen L. Carrington 

202.210.4005

202.403.3260, Fax 

TO:        BW4PC NETWORKERS AND SUMMIT COUNCIL

FROM:   DELEGATE DAUN HESTER AND DR. STEPHANIE MYERS

BE SURE TO VOTE TOMORROW FOR YOUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICES!  THERE ARE MANY IMPORTANT ELECTIONS AROUND THE NATION AND THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITIES LIES IN THE BALANCE. 

BW4PC HAS ENDORSED

MURIEL BOWSER FOR MAYOR OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

AND

LT. GOVERNOR ANTHONY BROWN FOR GOVERNOR OF MARYLAND!

View this great "Color of Change" ad below and share with younger voters. Thanks to Pat Duncan, BW4PC Denver, Colorado for sharing this ad.

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ColorOfChange has launched a powerful national voting campaign #IfTheySpeakForMe focused on the inclusion of Black voices, specifically the voices of Black women. Using hidden cameras, Color of Change staged scenarios where people would have to come to terms with how it feels to not have a voice. Click below to see how Black women at a salon respond to a stranger making decisions about their hair.

COMMENTS FROM COLOR OF CHANGE

Isn't this absurd? How dare some strange man invade your personal space and then determine what is going to happen to you and your body. Our fictional scenario may have been about hair but in the real world, the stakes are much higher. Political leaders are passing legislation about your right to reproductive healthcare, equal pay, the even the freedom to vote. As we prepare for mid-term elections, we cannot allow political leaders who do not have our best interests at heart to make decisions on issues that impact our daily lives. It's simple — either you speak up or someone will speak for you.

Recently, Black women have emerged as the voting demographic to watch out for, achieving record-breaking turnout in the last few elections. Through the use of social media and powerful video content, #IfTheySpeakForMe gives Black women the opportunity to discuss key election issues and ensure that their voices are heard.

With so much on the line for our communities, voting in this year’s election has become more important than ever. On November 4, let’s get out to vote and speak up for our concerns.

Please, share this video with your family and friends and remember if we don’t speak up, someone else will.

The entire ColorOfChange.org team.

After you vote, don't stop there, go to one of the campaign headquarters and man the phones - 

In Philadelphia,  gubernatorial candidate Tom Wolf has a phone bank at 5537 Germantown Avenue - they could definitely use your assistance.  Ask for Brian Taylor.

Do what you can do to help a neighbor who may  have mobility issues,  or be visually impaired to get to the polls and back home.  
Take some coffee, tea or doughnuts to those who are working on the polls because they will be there all day long.  
Put a prayer out that we will defeat the repuglycons (republicans to those who want to be pc) in this midterm in a manner that sends a clear signal that Americans will no longer be bullied by big business and incompetent, uncaring political bureaucrats who are only in the position for their own pockets and self-aggrandizement.
Email everybody you know regardless of whether you like them or not and remind them that it is their responsibility to vote.
Be prepared to provide back up for those who are being hassled about bogus ID issues - make sure you and they know your rights -and that those rights are respected.  Stand up for yourself and your people - do not allow yourself to be disenfranchised or 'jim crowed' - you are AN AMERICAN CITIZEN and you have a constitutional right to vote.
If you see someone unjustly treated at the polls pull out your cell phone and record it - then call the Civil Rights organizations and the legal system - do not tolerate discrimination.

Above all - VOTE - VOTE - VOTE!!!

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One last note:  shout out to my sister/friend LATRICE MONIQUE WALKER who will be going to Albany, NY as the newly elected Assemblymember representing  Brooklyn's 55th AD.  Blessings, congratulations, and God Speed to you.  So proud of you and all that you are and stand for!!

Stay Blessed & 
ECLECTICALLY BLACK 
Gloria Dulan-Wilson
www.gloriadulanwilson.blogspot.com/ECLECTICALLY BLACK NEWS

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